The present invention generally relates to passenger seats. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for configuring aircraft seats and arranging aircraft seats in a passenger cabin.
Usually, aircraft passenger seats are provided with a backrest that may rotate up and down around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the passenger seat. Using such a mechanism, some aircraft passenger seats may have a number of different seat positions. For example, some seats provide a fully flat/horizontal in flight bed position in addition to an upright seating position. In such designs, the bed may be defined by the seat backrest cushion and the pan cushion. Some designs also provide various intermediate positions between the upright seated position and the bed position. For example, some intermediate positions, such as a relaxed or snooze position, may be defined by a significant recline of the seat backrest. In some seat configurations that may transition to a bed position, a passenger must first vacate the seat before being able to transform the seat into the bed position.
While the prior designs may provide various seat positions, further improvements can be made. It may be desirable to provide improved systems and methods for configuring a passenger seat so as to provide a new comfort position. Additionally, a passenger seat may be improved so as to allow a passenger to remain seated as the passenger seat is converted from the upright seated position to a horizontal bed position. Moreover, it may be desirable to provide improved systems and methods for configuring a passenger seat which provides a wider horizontal bed position. Further, it may be desirable to provide a new seat arrangement that allows passenger egress without disturbing other passengers, even when the seats of the other passengers are in a reclined or horizontal bed position.